Landslides: The Human Factor

Human alteration of the landscape was a contributing factor in many of the landslide incidents this year. Inappropriate cutting and filling of slopes, insufficient or ineffective routing of storm water, and poorly executed design exacerbated an already problematic situation. This underscores the fact that it costs considerably more to fix a landslide, than it costs to prevent it with due diligence and forethought. Despite the best intentions, the civil engineering and geotechnical sciences are not foolproof. Combined with the erratic nature of our hillsides, landslide damages can and do result from errors of omission and commission, especially when record rainfall is part of the equation.